Horse-race game



Sept. 15, 192 5.

' A. c. GARCIA HORSE RACE GAME Filed Feb. 12. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 J P 1 l m m 5 c w n w d Sept. 15. 19254 A. C. GARCIA HORSE RACE GAME Filed Feb. 12. 192

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 v Z P I 5 5 I L M 4 i L 0 Sept. 15. 1925.

A. c. GARCIA HORSE RACE GAME Filed Feb. 12. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lflnwnwaaa ma a se 15, 1925.

7 UNITED, sT rEs "P TENT our-Ice,

- memo e. camera, or nmn'rmjumrna; rrrrmrrmn rsnamas.

ouse-mos am Appucationfled February 12, 924. -Serial1i'o.692,413.

To on whom a m 0mm.-

' Be it known that I, ANTONIO O. Genera,

a citizen of the United States, residing at' .Ermita, Manila, Philippine Islands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Horse-Race Games, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has to do with certain improvements in games of chance. and the like.- The game of chance herein disa closed is one in which a number "of figures,

such as miniature imitation race .horses, are intended for operation around a trackway in such a manner that they can be raced or com eted a ainst one-another. More par ticular y in t is connection, the invention relates to certain improvements in machines of this class for controlling by chance the winner of the'race between the figures of the miniature imitation race horses. particularly the features of the in-.

More vention ave to do with a machine so desi ned and controlled as to be operable electrically as distinguished from constructions in which the improvements of the individual units are occasioned mechanically.

\ One of the features of the invention has to do with the provision of an arrangement in which any suitable number of figures or units, as, for example 8, may be used, each construction and combination of parts here inafter described andclaimed. I

Inthe drawings:

Figure liis a plan view of a completely assembled machine embodying the features of thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the race track thereof; Figure 3 is a side elevation, partly in sec tion of one of the cars;

Figure 4 .is a top Figu plan v1ew thereof; I re 5 is an e ovation of the chancecontrolled circuit closer, a portion thereof struction being broken'away to-sh'ow the interior con- 7 Figure 6 is a transversesection 'tliere f through taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5 looking in the direction of the arrow;

Fi re 7 is a similar viewtaken on the line 7' of Figure 5 looking in the direct1on of the arrows and Figure 8 is a diagram showing the wiring used with the machine.

Referring to the drawing in detail it will be seen that A designates the base board a which ma be of anydesired formation but is prefera 1y rectangular in sha e as is illustrated in Figure -1 and of sufliclent strength to support the apparatus to be placed thereon. A miniature race track or hippodrome B is mounted on the board A the detailed structure thereof being illustrated to ad-- vantage in Figures 2, 3 and 4. A rheostat housing 0 is mounted along one side of the board, a chance controlled circuit closing .I). 1s dlsposed at one end thereof and a pair of switches E and F are disposed at the other end thereof.- The relative positions of the various parts thus far described may bevaried as desired. The present illustration being illustrative of a compact embodiment of the game-apparatus.

The race track is built upon thebase board A and consists of a plurality of ports 1 projecting upwardly from the board A for holding the track proper .2 in spaced relation above said board A. The track proper 2 is in the forni of a plate the. gen-.

eral contour of which is an imitation to the usual formation of a race track as indicated ,to advantage in Figure 1. Suitable sides 3 close the space-between the, track proper 2 and the board A. The track proper 2 is provided with a lurality of concentric slots 4 which are equailly spaced from each other and represent the pairs of racing figuresor units indicated at 5. Under each slot 4, on the board-A there-is arranged aotrack for receiving the car or carriage. supporting the figure or unit associated with the slot. Each track consists of a pair of rails 7 and a third rail 8 disposed therebetween. A-groove9. is rovided in the board A adjacent each rai 7. Associated with each track and slot I 4 is a car or carriage indicated generally by the letter G. Each car includesa frame 10 substantially rectangular in formation supported on flange wheels 11 adapted to move is formed integrally projects through the slot 4 with which the car is associated. The figureor unit-5 in the form of a miniature race horse is mounted on the standard 14and thus as the car moves about the track the miniature figure will also move and give the appearance of a galloping race horse. A suitable motor is associated with each car G and may be of any conventional construction for rotating the wheels, 11. Thesemotors receive their motive force from the plows 18 which are always in engagement with the thirdrails8. Attention 1s now called to the chance-com trolled circuit'closing device D illustrated to advantage in Figures 5 to 7"inclus ive.

This device is formed from a stationary member H and a rotatable member I The stationary member H is provided with a plurality of blocks 20 having openings 21 therein for the reception of suitable electric conductors. A container 22 ofinsulating material is mounted on each block 20. Thecontainers 22 and the blocks 20 are housed in a suitable casing 23, Each container 22 .is provided with a bottom contact 24 and a side contact 25 and a certainamount of mercury is carried in each container, the level of such mercury being such that normally a circuit containing the contacts 24 and 25 would be open. A plurality of sleeves 27 project upwardly from the casing 23 one communicating with each of the container 22. A plunger 28 is movable in eachcontainer being guided by the upper restricted portion thereof and has a stem projected upwardly therefrom into the corresponding sleeve 27 and terminates in a head 29 and a spring 30 is disposed between the head 29 and the bottom of the sleeve so as to normally hold the plunger 28 in a raised position out of the mercury in the container so that the level of the mercury will be normally at its lowest-point that is not in engagement with contact 25. The upper end of each tube or sleeve 27 is flared as at 32 so as to form a receptacle im mediately below the rotary member I. A standard 33 projects centrally upwardly from the stationary member for receiving the rotary member I. This rotary member consists ofa casing 34 having a compartment 35 with a dome-shaped bottom 36. The casing 34 is provided with an entrance opening 37 preferably at its uppermost point and at the edge of the dome-shaped bottom 36 is provided with an alley-way 38 having openings 39 therein which register with similar openings in. the bottom partition 40 .which is utilized for strengthening the ro- Thus it will be seen that atary member. 'ball 41-or the like may be placed in the entrance opening 37 after the rotary mem-- trically connectingcontacts 25 and 24 for a urpose to be hereinafter set forth.

rom the above description it is thought that the operation of the apparatus may now be clearly understood by referring to the diagram shownin Figure 8 wherein is disclosed atransformer 50 for connecting the leads .51 and 52, the switch F being-d1sposed in the lead 51. A wire 53 is connected to the lead 52 and in turn is connected with a plurality of wires 54 in the present instance eight in number corresponding to the eight tracks of the race track. In each wire 54 there. is disposed an adjustable or variable rheostat 55. The wires. 54 are connect-' ed to the wires 56 which communicate-With the third rails 8. The rails 7 are connected by wires 57 to a wire58 which is connected to the lead 51 by a wire 59. Thus it willbe seen that by'closing switch F the current will pass through the lead '52, wire 53, rheostats 55, wires 54, wires 56, third rails 8, wires 57, wire 58 and wire 59 to the lead 51.

By proper adjustment of the rheostats 55 it will be seen that the speed of the motors in the cars may be regulated sd-that normally the figures or racing units 5 will arrive at the finish line atthe same time; The lead 52 is continued or connected to a wire 60 which is connected to' each of the contacts 55 by wires 61; The switch E is disposed in the wire 60 between its first contact with the wires 61 and its contact with thelead 52. The contacts 24 are connected to the wires 56 by wires 62. Supposing that the racing figures-or units ,5 are lined up as shown in Figure 1 at the starting line and the switch F is closed. It will beseen that the figures will race about the track at different rates of speed so as to finish simultaneously with each other, of course, presuming that the rheostats 55 have been properly adjusted for this purpose. however, the chance-controlled device has been used prior to the closing of switch F it will be seen that one of the circuits of the motors of the carriages supporting themeing units will be short through the circuits including the contacts 24 and 25 and that therefore more electric motive force will be attracted to the motor in this circuit since the current will not pass through the rheostat thereof and this figure will win the race.

It is evident that the game may be played in other ways and suitable rules may be adopted as to when the chance-controlled circuit closing device is to be operated or when the switch E is to be closed but at any rate the same principle will be involved.

While I have herein shown and described a single embodiment of the features of my invention, still I do not limit myself to the same except as I may do so in the claims.

What is claimed is: i

1. In a game apparatus of the class described, the combination with a drum having an apertured alley arranged thereabout, of a device including a plurality of tubes for rotatably receiving the drum whereby said drum may be placed in rotation and a ball inserted therein so as to,

drop into one of the tubes, each tube including a circuit closer actuated by the weight of said ball, each circuit closer including a container, mercury in the container, a pair of contacts one at the bottom thereof and another at the side thereof, the side contact being normally out of engagement with the mercury, and means in the container depressible by the weight of the ball so as to raise the level of the mercury so as to close a circuit between the two contacts.

2. In a game apparatus of the class described, the combination with a drum having an apertured alley arranged thereabout, of a-device including a plurality of tubes for rotatably receiving the drum whereby said drum may be laced in rotation and a ball inserted therein so as to drop into oneof the tubes, each tube including a circuit closer actuated by the weight of the ball, each circuit closer including a container, mercury in the container, a pair of spaced contacts one at the bottom of the container and the other at the side thereof,

the side contact being normally out of enscribed, the combination with a drum having an apertured alley arranged thereabout, 'of a device including a plurality of tubes for rotatably receiving the drum whereby said rum may be placed in rotation and a ball inserted therein so as to drop into one of the tubes, each tube including a circuit closer actuated by the weight of the ball, each circuit closer including a container, mercury in thecontainer, a pair of spaced contacts one at the bottom of the container and the other at the side thereof, the side contact being normally out of engagement with the mercury, a plunger in each container for receiving the ball so as to be sunk downwardly in the mercury and raise the level thereof to close a circuit between the two contacts, and a spring associated with the plunger to normally hold it in a raised position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my-si ature.

ANTONIO 0. GA CIA. 

